The Seer
by Lanfear Lady of Chaos
Summary: Lavida is a Maiden of the Spear, but fate takes everything from her.
1. The Seer

OOC: Note: This is an RPG, written by me and a friend. Everything written as Lavida is mine, and Kaimla is hers. I do not own Kaimla, Wheel of Time or anything Robert Jordan owns. Except his books, but I only have copies of them. Well, they're copyrighted to him… shutting up.

IC:

Lavida sat in the dark in the dark tent, reclining on the soft tasseled cushions opposite the woman shrouded in shadows. Her calloused hand was held carefully, palm-up, by the soft, cool fingers of the Seer. Dark green eyes, glinting in the dim light, shined out from under her cadin'sor.

The routine Telling of her society, the Maidins of the Spear, was normal for her. She was relaxed as she listened to the muffled sounds of her friends move about outside the tent, waiting for their turn and straining their ears for what the Seer would say to her. Suddenly, the wrinkled face snapped up, her eyes boring deep into Lavida's soul. She sat still, unable to move or break the gaze.

"Your destiny lies before you," rasped a voice like chains dragged over stones, like the baying of wolfhounds in the hunt. The woman's eyes seemed to grow, taking up her entire face. "You think, you believe, that you are a warrior." A barely perceptible shake of her head. "Your path lies another way. You are original and creative, and deeply, you have realized this."

Her shriveled lips carefully formed her fateful words.

"You will pass a difficult test that will make you happier. However, you will not think of it that way." Her voice returned to normal, the rough, gravely voice of an old woman who was a warrior in her younger years.

"You have the spark, child."

Lavida's ears roared, her eyes wide. Her mouth dropped open, heedless of any small toh. The Seer's eyes filled with compassion barely masked as Lavida began to scream.

"No!" she cried, leaping to her feet. "I won't! I'll never!" She dashed for the tent flaps, and straight into the waiting arms of her Spear-sisters. They griped her arms with hands made of steel, unfailing in their strength.

"You must," her near-sister Tavrine informed her with a blank face.

"If you don't go willingly, you know what we must do," said Simarine, a light of amusement in her eyes. Lavida struggled helplessly, her eyes pleading. Seeing no mercy in the hard eyes of her friends, she sagged, her body going limp. She raised her head slowly, grey eyes blazing.

"And you know what I will do," she told them, and bolted, breaking free of their arms. Before she had gone three paces, she stumbled, falling heavily. She lurched to her feet once more, but her society was upon her. Anguished eyes raised a spear-butt, then brought it down on her head. The world turned black.

The Maidins carefully hauled Lavida across their shoulders, securely binding her feet and hands with strips of fur-coated leather. With heavy hearts, they began to run across the Three-fold Land, towards Rhuidean, where Lavida would be forced to face her future.


	2. Milkskin

Kaimla sat silently on a pillow, facing her teacher, Ranya, in the largest tent of the camp. She slowly opened herself out and surrendered to saidar. It flowed through her in an overpowering stream. She was so enclosed that her teachers voice was only as a voice in her head. "Slowly, now" Kaimla's teacher crooned, "You do not want to burn yourself out. Now once in the void, let yourself float, just rest, be at peace."

The training to be a Dreamwalker was slow and painful in Kaimla's eyes. She had already done this many times without even trying! But these people, the Aiel Wise Ones, believed in taking things at slower paces. Kaimla couldn't believe it.

"Now, release the power." Ranya's voice was a whip aimed by a muscular man. It cut through Kaimla's peace in a flash.

"What now, Wise One?" Kaimla asked as she opened her grey eyes to see the face of her teacher, her temper flaring slightly at being aroused. "We've been embracing and releasing saidar since I got here five months ago. When will I finally get to dreamwalk? This is getting tedious. It was almost three months ago when w-" She cut off abruptly from her rant when she saw Ranya staring at her with stony eyes and face. "Sorry, Wise One, I forgot my place."

"That's alright, one more time."

Kaimla slowly opened herself to the void once more. She floated for a long while, peaceful and calm. Suddenly, many maidens came streaming through the tent door, supporting another maiden, who was flailing and screaming at the top of her lungs. This jolted Kaimla out of her peace once again. She came around this time to find her teacher talking with the maidens.

_Who is the maiden? What did she do? Why is she here? What's her name?_ Many thoughts quickly streamed through Kaimla's head when she got her first look at the maiden, who was now restrained by only two of the group that had carried her in. Ranya kept on making gestures at the maiden, and looking slightly pleased and happy. Why? Once again, thoughts flowed through her mind. Her train of thought was abruptly broken when the maiden started to talk.

xxxx

Lavida was carried into a tent by her spear-sisters, the largest of the group. While part of her knew that this is what their _toh_ forced them to do, the other half screamed for revenge. They had reached their destination, and her friends had wasted no time in dumping her in here. With Wise Ones.

She sneered around her, finally ceasing to scream. She glared at everyone, her near-sister, the Wise Ones themselves- a hazardous business- and even a Wetlander who was with them. What was a Wetlander doing with the Wise Ones? She shot a particularly venomous gaze at the milk-skinned chit, the worse she could do at the moment aside from spitting. She lay on the ground, ignoring various rocks and bumps, her hands and feet still bound.

When her spear-sisters and the Wise Ones began to talk, she snapped like a frail twig. "I will not become a Wise One!" she spat, like a distasteful bit of food she didn't want to stomach. "I am Far Dareis Mai!" The last was spoken like a pronouncement, as if by saying it the fact would never change.

The Wise Ones looked at her scornfully, no pity in their hard eyes. Those eyes had seen no coddling- but she no longer cared. She threw the whole of her being into trying to convince the women in the tent, ready to use anything short of begging.

"I am a fighter!" she announced, eyes filled with dread. "And Wise Ones... Wise Ones..." _Hm._ That approach not might be wise here. She trailed off quietly, quite aware of the power the women considering her held.

She turned her face instead to the Wetlander, a focus for her anger. "I will not study with some... some... pampered, milk-skinned Wetlander!"

The Wise One stepped forward, seemingly in charge. She knelt on one knee, cupping Lavida's face in her hands. Without warning, she slapped her, a full-armed blow that took Lavida's hardened nerves by surprise. Her head rang, spots dancing in front of her grey eyes as she struggled to regain her composure. An angry red hand mark quickly appeared on her cheek. As she gaped up at the woman, who had stood up, the Wise One spoke.

"You may leave," she told Lavida's spear-sisters gently. "She is beyond you, now." Lavida's heart ached as they left, not looking back over their shoulders.

In a low voice that did not carry out of the tent, the Wise One spoke, hard and fast. "You are not to disrespect my apprentices. Ever. You have _toh_ to her, now."

"Apologize."

Lavida stubbornly set her jaw, until another slap set her reeling. Eyes still blurred, she muttered;

"I'm sorry."


	3. Lessons

Kaimla was now sitting on the pillow with her legs neatly tucked under her. She peered to where the maiden lay, trying to make her interest inconspicuous. The maiden was quite defiant. She attempted to appear unaffected by the glare that was thrown her way, but to no avail. A snarl came from her throat, quite loud, so Kaimla was embarrassed at that.

The maiden suddenly stopped talking, only to insult her again. The maiden had called her pampered!! And milk-skinned. The last one she could understand, she was pretty pale, but PAMPERED! Kaimla wanted to get up and slap the ungrateful girl silly. The bloody maiden would never know what it was like to be her, stealing for life. She was the farthest away from pampered that there was! At least the flaming maiden got decent meals daily, and a proper sleeping area!

Kaimla was quite surprised, though, when Rayna bent down and gave the maiden a full-armed slap in the face. Her teacher murmured something in audible to the girl on the ground. Then the maiden gave an apology! That was really amazing, considering her defying appearance.

Finally, Rayna left the maiden untied and came back to Kaimla's lessons. "I regret the interruption, but it was necessary." Her voice was strained, maybe from keeping something down. Kaimla didn't know. "Well, as I was going to say before we were interrupted." Rayna glanced towards the maiden. "We are going to start studying dreamwalking in more depth. Tonight, or sometime soon, you will go to sleep with this dream ring. It will ease your first passage into the world of dreams." The ring that her teacher held was old and twisted, yet Kaimla grabbed it with eagerness and put it on her right hand. She inspected it, and secretly inspected the maidens face through her fingers.

xxxx

Lavida sat sullenly on the ground, rubbing her reddened wrists gingerly. She watched with carefully hidden interest as the Wise One- Rayna, she had been told- gave the Wetlander a ring. The Wetlander grabbed it hungrily, immediately suspecting it. As she held it up, she glanced between her fingers, their eyes meeting for a moment by accident. She hadn't been meant to notice that. She perked her ears up as the Wise One spoke to Lavida again, stern.

"You will attend Kaimla's next dreamwalking class," she told Lavida, a woman who expected to be listened to. And obeyed. Immediately. "I wish to see what abilities you have," she said, chin in her hand. She searched over Lavida with eyes that could see through skin, looking into Lavida's very being. Their eyes met, and to her shame, Lavida was forced to look away. She had lost this first battle of wills. _Barely here a moment and already she has me cowed!_ she thought fiercely.

Thinking of that, she raised her head, fiery eyes blazing with defiance once more. But that unblinking gaze caught her once more, and she looked down.

"Yes, Wise One," she said, hatred in her voice. It didn't matter. Tonight, she would escape. To her surprise, Rayna spoke to her once more.

"In fact," she said, her own eyes blazing in turn, "I wish to begin tonight." She looked towards the Wetlander- _I will NOT call her by name! Milk-skinned CHIT!_- and smiled slightly.

"Kaimla, guide this woman through her first touching," she said, then sat back onto a pillow. Lavida gaped at her, mouth wide. What did she mean? She was startled out of her thoughts when the Wetlander moved towards her.

xxxx

Kaimla was really frightened to hear that she was forced to teach this... this... idiot. It would be impossible! She wasn't even aware of her name! She swiftly, yet reluctantly got up and move closer to the Aiel, and then promptly sat.

"Rayna, what's her name?" She asked in a cutting, annoyed voice that she had never really used before. "For we have not been formally introduced."

"Her name is Lavida, and she was a Maiden, as you have surmised, and will now become a Wise One. Lavida, this is Kaimla, who has been studying with us for a few months, and is my apprentice. She will now guide you through the process of touching the True Source. It is hard at first, but will get easier." At this introduction, Kaimla smiled slightly at ... the maiden, slightly gloating, thinking, _I'm better than you are! I'm in charge!_

Kaimla looked her student in the eye, or attempted to. Everytime she tried to lock her eyes, the maiden defiantly looked away. She started anyway. "Now... Lavida I guess I'm going to have to guide you through touching the source. You MUST cooperate. Now do as I say, when I say. Close your eyes. Picture a flower, anything small, and concentrate on it." Somehow, by the way the former maiden was, Kaimla got the feeling that in her mind, the maiden was picturing her dead, or seriously injured. Not really the best mood to get when you were about to be instructing your first student.

xxxx

Lavida bristled as the insolent Wetlander asked Rayna- _Rayna!_ for her name. The girl began to try to guide her to touch the True Source- she never would. She closed her eyes, however, and stored away the girl's words for later reference. She opened one eye impulsively, glancing at her.

"You could have asked me, you know, girl," she said, then snapped her eye closed again. The True Source. The One Power. She was supposed to touch it-

She convulsively clutched her spears to her chest, which had been dumped on the rugs with her. With her eyes closed, she didn't notice the Wise One eye them with distaste, then smile grimly at the thought of what would be done to them.

However, the Wise One had also commanded her to do something- and a Wise One could not be turned down. Not without violating _toh._ So she sat, trying desperately to envision a flower. She thought of the Rikath, a small blue flower than was poisonous if eaten, but beautiful. She had only seen a few times, though, and had trouble.

She made the flower become clearer in her mind, until it was picture perfect. She opened one eye again, the flower imprinted on her other lid.

"What next?"

xxxx

The maiden did as she said, but she was so rude! Kaimla thought of slapping her again, and demanding to be respected as a superior, but decided against it as the maiden protectively held her spear to her chest.

When she was asked what the next step was, Kaimla nervously glanced over at Rayna for consent, and got a nod in reply. But she really didn't know how to explain the next steps. They were easier done than said, in a fashion. She thought back to her training. "Well, first, you need BOTH eyes shut, only one won't do. Now, concentrating hard on the flower, make sure to have every single little detail of the flower, every bend, every shade, every petal. Now, pour your entire being into it. Surrender to the power, the flower holds your being, you and the source are one. Eventually it will start to... ahh... glow." Kaimla repeated the last few sentences a few times, then gave the maiden a few minutes to try this. She was still unsure of how to instruct anyone on anything.

Making sure that the maiden was concentrating on putting her very being into a flower, or at least seeming to do so, Kaimla mouthed the word 'Help' to her teacher, because she really didn't know what to do next, and she didn't want to be doing this. Rayna shook her head, and urged her to go on. Kaimla took a deep breath and prepared to keep teaching the maiden how to embrace the source.

xxxx

_Alright, both eyes closed. Easy enough. I can do that,_ she told herself, shutting her eyes. She pushed away her spears, intent upon doing this perfectly. _If I have to do it,_ she thought to herself, _I may as well do it right! _She formed the flower again in her mind, perfecting the colour, the shape of the petals, the smell even...

"Now, pour your entire being into it. Surrender to the power, the flower holds your being, you and the source are one. Eventually it will start to... ahh... glow." Lavida struggled to keep from laughing aloud. That was absurd! A glowing flower that you surrender to? Surrender was never an option! Never!

Regardless, she truly tried to 'surrender' to a flower. But she could not. It was written into every fiber of her being... never surrender. Finally, after a few minutes, she opened her eyes, exasperated.

She faced the Wise One calmly, aware that she may be punished. "I cannot, Wise One," she said, wincing at the sound of the words. "I cannot... cannot surrender. She spoke the last word with distaste, spitting it out of her mouth, leaving a foul taste behind.

She kept her chin up. "I am sorry." She stared defiantly at both of them, unblinking.

xxxx

Kaimla waited, then the maiden finally spoke. "I cannot... cannot surrender." This was going to be hard. The former maiden had a BLOCK! Curse the bloody blocks! They made nothing any flaming easier! Now she had to find out how to break it. Bloody blocks!

Since there was nothing that Kaimla could do to break the block now, or figure it out -that would come in time, hopefully- all she could do was go back to trying to embrace, even though she new it wouldn't work.

"Alright, Lavida. Don't worry about not being able to surrender to the power. You have what we call a block. It means that you cannot embrace the source except for under certain conditions. You will have to practice embracing the source, though, so it will be easier when we find out what your block is. Now, try again. Concentrate on the flower. Make sure you have every detail..." She droned on, letting the maiden find the source again and practice.

xxxx

Lavida glared at the girl, who kept insisting upon trying. A block? So she could not even do this thing she was forced into! She glared at everyone and everything; the tent, the blankets, the girl... Rayna... Oh. Maybe that was not a good idea. Rayna glared right back, her eyes far more intense than Lavida's had ever been, outside of battle. During battle, she always felt so alive, like her senses were heightened, like the Wheel of Time itself was turning within her. The thrill of the dream of life potentially ending...

She barely listened as the girl talked on, almost lulling her to unawareness. She did try, she truly did... but what was the use if it couldn't be used?

Her eyes closed, she tried harder, until the Wise One declared the lesson ended, standing up. Lavida opened her eyes, looking towards her, and the girl out of her corner of the eye.

"You shall sleep in my apprentices' tent, with Kaimla," she told Lavida, hands on her hips. "Be at my tent an hour before dawn tomorrow morning," she said. With that, she whirled around, striding briskly out of the tent. Lavida stood gaping at her, then slowly turned to face the Wetlander.

xxxx

Her tent! It was her flaming tent! This would only ruin her privacy! And it was a small enough tent to begin with. Now it was going to be small, and shared with a person who she didn't like, who didn't like her, and she hardly knew! What was she going to do?

Kaimla decided to roll with the punches. It could be worse. "Follow me." She said to the maiden, motioning to the door flap. The maiden first had to pick up her stuff. As she led her across the camp to the small, brown tent that they would now be sharing, Kaimla walked quickly. She really didn't want to share a tent. Hoping to lose the maiden along the way would be no use, she would only get in trouble later.

They finally reached the tent, and Kaimla walked in. She promptly sat on her bed, making sure that the other girl new that it was hers and that she was _not_ getting it. The maiden entered. " Well, this is our bloody tent, now. And we will be sharing it from now on. This is my bed," she said with a bit of anger, pointing to what she was sitting on, "and that means that the other one is yours." Someone had brought another cot in during the time they were at the lesson. "Put your flaming stuff here, here and here. Mine's over there," she added as she pointed to different areas in the room. "The wash basin is over there, the towels along side."

"And since we are roommates now, I guess we should bloody well be on better terms with each other. That means you call me Kaimla, not girl or wetlander, because I DO have a name, and I will call you Lavida. And we should at least appear to be more friendly. Alright? If you have any bloody objections, state them now."

xxxx

"If you have any bloody objections, state them now." Lavida glared at her. It was bad enough they had to share a tent- did she have to make it worse? She stiffly walked over to her pallet, sitting cross-legged on it and making a show of arranging her weapons. She did like doing this- it usually was quite a show! First, she laid down her spears in a neat pile beside her unstrung bow. Coiling the string in a puddle next to it, she took off her quiver, counting the bristling arrows.

Next, she flipped her knives out. The belt knife went first- the obvious one. Next, her throwing knives- from up her sleeves. The smaller palm knives came next, from the same place. Two long knives were removed from her lower legs, then two stabbers from her soft laced knee-high boots. Finally, she took out a small poison-tipped dagger- from the small of her back.

Grinning carnivorously at the Wetlander- she would say that in her mind, always,- she said, "Objections? Oh, no, Kaimla."

xxxx

Kaimla calmly watched as Lavida elaborately displayed all of her weapons. She was completely unaffected by it -almost- knowing that they would be taken away from Lavida if she wore them around or used them for fun or killing friends. She thought of her own knives. She had them under her pile. It would be pointless to bring them out now. That would only lead to a competition between the two of who had the best weapons. Lavida would surely win. All Kaimla had were 10 knives, 2 small daggers for the boots, two longer knives up the sleeves, two on her belt (her favorites, with jagged edges), two on her stomach, one on her left thigh, and a hooked one on her back.

When Lavida was finally done and admitted that she had no objections in a voice that seemed slightly carnivorous, Kaimla sat back against her small, hard pillow. She eyed the weapons that Lavida had laid out more thoroughly, getting a little more uneasy at each glance. The bow would not be harmful currently, as it was unstrung. Her spear wasn't bad either, as it seemed to be more of a status symbol than a weapon. The knives were another matter. As with Kaimla, Lavida was really comfortable with them, and at least one was bound to be poisoned.

"Lovely little collection you've got there. It outdoes mine. I only have a few knives." Kaimla's voice was strained at the effort to keep it from shaking slightly. "If you would be so kind as to put them away, I believe that Rayna will be over soon, or summoning us to her tent."


	4. Escape

Lavida raised an eyebrow at the wetlander. Why would the Wise One come to see the, or they to see her? Had they not just had a 'lesson'? She shuddered slightly at the fresh memory of that. Would she have to go through another one again so soon? There was not even anything for her to do! Pretend to be a flower- it sounded like the children's games; those who didn't want to become warriors. What proper Maiden would pretend to be a flower?

"I highly doubt that," she told the girl wryly. "Having another lesson so soon?" She shook her head slightly. Nevertheless, she replaced a good deal of the knives, especially the hidden ones. She had heard horror stories of what happened to Maidens who were forced to become Wise Ones, but her knives were staying- for now.

As she slipped the last into it's sheath, she turned to the girl, honestly curious with a sudden thought. "Why do you hate me?" she asked bluntly.

xxxx

It was amazing. Lavida was actually talking to her as a civilized person! Kaimla was quite amazed. She let Lavida's first comment slip. It wasn't really that important anyway. But why was she asking why Kaimla hated her? She hated Kaimla too! How are you supposed to like someone who hates you or doesn't even want to talk to you because you're different!

"Well," Kaimla stated, "I ask the same of you, because you seem to judge by look or race, and now you are suddenly interested in what someone you hate thinks about you, but I will answer first. I don't really hate you as much as I don't know you. You came in the middle of my lesson and shot me nasty looks. I'm not the first non-Aiel to be here. It really doesn't help you get friends if you make them uncomfortable. And the fact that you knew my name, yet still called me "wetlander" or "child" or refused to acknowledge my existence. And the fact that just now you tried to establish a position of power for yourself by displaying your means of personal protection. Those are only a few reasons. But if you mean to become friendly with me, it will take more than just explaining. It needs an apology, a _sincere_ apology for how you treated me, and I know how much Aiel don't like apologizing, but I expect no less."

xxxx

Lavida listened impassionatly as the wetlander ranted at her. As the girl continued on, Lavida folded her arms, eyeing her. _Impressive,_ she thought. _At least there is one wetlander who can speak their mind!_ Lavida smiled at her, the smiled losing its carnivorous edge. _You know,_ she thought suddenly, _I think I may actually LIKE this girl!_ Her eyes widened at that thought, and she quickly suppressed it. _She has done nothing yet,_ she told those feelings firmly.

She gasped aloud suddenly as Kaimla- _girl! I call her GIRL!_- told her to apologize. Not ask- she was practically _ordered_ to _apologize_! She stared at her, disbelief in her uncomprehending eyes.

"Apologize?" she whispered, her mouth fitting strangely around the unfamiliar word. It was true- she had never apologized before. Either she had no _toh_, or she asked someone to punish her for violating it. But if this girl believed she was owed it... Lavida sighed aloud. Ji'eh toh must be explained to this ignorant wetlander.

She looked calmly at Kaimla, her face placid. "I am sorry if I owe you _toh_," she told her patiently. "I am unused to dealing with... Wise Ones and their kind."

"If I was rude, I owe you more, for I have never before been... brought... to a place in such an... unconventional way?" She shifted uncomfortably, memories of her journey to Rhuidean brought to the surface.

She grinned suddenly. "And, you know, Kaimla," she whispered conspiratorially, leaning towards her, "I do that every night with my knives." Leaning back onto her bed she smiled happily. "Many people have said that being so flashy is bad for me," she told her, "But I quite like it."

She sat straight up abruptly, face and eyes solemn once more. "Do you believe I owe you _toh,_ Kaimla?" she asked, looking quickly around the tent for something that could be used as punishment; a switch, or something.

xxxx

Kaimla knew that the maiden would be uncomfortable with the word apologize, but she didn't realize how alien it was to them. To her, it seemed like a second nature, but she figured that she would have to get used to this. Maybe she could get the... girl... to recognize her ways too so that in the future she wouldn't be so entirely rude.

Kaimla eased her back onto her pillow and tried to think. Her thoughts were interrupted when she realized that Lavida -Lavida the _maiden_- was apologizing to her, to Kaimla, the person who she had basically no respect for! It was stunning. Also the fact that Lavida was being honest. That was startling too. It was relieving to know that the show of weaponry was... customary... for her, but it still wasn't that nice. Now she might have to live with that every night!

Now came the question if Lavida really did owe her _toh._ She wasn't really all that familiar with their customs. "Well, Lavida, I'm not all that familiar with your toh, but I will stick to my customs and say that you don't. I just want my fair amount of respect. Oh, and I won't whip you or anything." Kaimla added that last bit after seeing the maiden's eyes dart around the room. She was at least familiar with that part of _toh._

"By the way, you were really rude to me, yet I do understand your circumstances. It isn't that easy changing your lifestyle on command. And I know that. My parents died a while ago, and I had to resort to a thief's life in Caemlyn. It wasn't that easy, then I met another person, my friend Josie, in the same position as me. We banded together and led a pretty good life of stealing and bartering. I just want you to know that."

A thought appeared in Kaimla's head. "Oh, and I'm sorry if I was a little frank with you before now. It's just when I get mad or I have something that I really want to say, I rant."

xxxx

Lavida nodded, her mouth pursed as Kaimla informed her she did not owe _toh._ A small sigh of relief escaped her traitorous lips then; she hadn't known she had been holding her breath. _I just don't want to face that Wise One again with a sore bottom, that's all,_ she told herself crossly. She returned her mind to the Wetlander again, slightly curious as to what she had to say.

"...had to resort to a thief's life..." Lavida gaped at her, her mouth falling open. Heedlessly, she stared at this newfound friend- did she dare say that already?- as she calmly admitted to something that would have most Aiel's _toh_ in shattered pieces. _Wetlanders are different,_ she harshly reminded herself, her jaw shutting with a snap.

"Oh, and I'm sorry if I was a little frank with you before now. It's just when I get mad or I have something that I really want to say, I rant." Lavida tried desperately to understand her. Just when she was over one thing... frank? Shaking her head, she leaned back, folding her arms behind her head.

"It's nothing," she said airily, her mind still reeling from the 'thief' comment. With no further ado, she turned towards the tent wall, laid down, and pulled her blankets over her. Slowing her breathing, she listened for the other girl, hoping for her to fall quickly asleep.

xxxx

Kaimla watched Lavida closely as she spoke. The maiden obviously wasn't used to thieves, mouth hanging open so far. That would take a little time to get used to.

She was glad to hear that the maiden showed consent to what Kaimla had just said, it was a little unlike the Aiel to say what Kaimla had just stated. The maiden turned over and seemingly went to sleep in an instant. That was strange. Kaimla decided to do the same. She turned over, gently lowering herself down. The pillow was hard.

Sleep took forever to come. She kept thinking, _I'm sleeping in the same room as an Aiel! It's just like the stories! Wow!_ over and over. It took away her calmness. Finally her eyes drifted shut, and sleep came.

xxxx

Lavida opened her eyes cautiously as Kaimla's breath evened, deepening in sleep. She closed her eyes to slits, turning over, pretending she was still asleep. Facing the Wetlander, she peered through the dark, trying to discern if she was truly asleep. Satisfied, she silently rose, slipping on her soft knee-high boots. Gathering her spears and weapons, she stood, looking around the tent. She froze as footsteps sounded outside, not moving until they slowly faded away.

"Goodbye, Kaimla," she mouthed, and padded to the tent flaps. She opened one with a slight finger, squinting her eyes to look out into the darkness.

xxxx

Kaimla didn't have the peaceful sleep she had hoped for. Her dreams were full of black figures with huge swords sweeping down on her, calling her name from hidden mouths and mutant creatures with more eyes than were good for them.

She woke with a start-sweating madly, but not from the heat, thinking that she should be dead by then with all the things they were doing to her in her dreams. She pondered on that thought for a while, then she suddenly thought of her roommate. Kaimla turned to see if Lavida had been waken by her noises, but she wasn't there!

Getting up quickly to see if her eyes were just playing tricks on her, Kaimla tried to stretch out a pain in her side. When she made it to Lavida's bed, she was hit by a blinding pain in her side. She quickly sat down on Lavida's empty bed and checked her side; it was bleeding.

_Blood and ashes,_ she thought, _so I can get into the world of dreams._ Kaimla decided to go to Ranya's tent to tell her teacher her problems. She hurried off to the tent, trying to make the least amount of noise as possible.

At the front of Ranya's tent, Kaimla stopped, remembering that she shouldn't just burst in. She knocked. At the sound of Ranya's voice allowing her to enter, she whipped open the flaps and said in a rather loud voice "Lavida's gone!! Oh, and I have a nasty cut in my side that I got when I was sleeping."

xxxx

Lavida trotted through the silent camp, her booted feet making next to no noise on the cracked surface. Her eyes cast their gaze all around her, constantly checking the tents for movement. She was especially silent as she passed her spear-sisters' tent; if they had gone to such trouble to get her here, there was no telling what they would do to keep her. Her head moved to stare at that tent a moment longer than the rest, swiveling as she ran on.

Suddenly, blocks seemed to lock around her ankles, cementing her to the ground. She pitched forward, her arms flailing wildly as she struggled to balance and failed. She fell heavily, landing... at someone's feet. She gulped, looking upwards, balanced on her hands. The Wise One's face stared coldly back down at her, fury blazing in her eyes, Kaimla rooted behind her.

"Running away is not acceptable," the icy voice said, made all the more dangerous by it's lack of emotion. "I believe," she said, hands on her hips, "that you must got to Rhuidean."

"Tonight."

xxxx

Kaimla had watched silently as Ranya reacted to the news. She acted as if this had happened before! She ordered two of the wise ones to get a patrol to scan the outside of the camp for any signs of footprints. One of the elder Wise ones went to out to search the camp. "You go with her, Kaimla," Ranya had said, "because it would be good for Lavida to realize who gave her away without us telling her."

Now she was following the Wise One out into the darkness, the noises from her feet resounding in the camp. A warning hand shot out in front of her as the Wise One cocked her head to listen for any feet. She advanced two steps, then did something with the one power. Kaimla stayed where she was, her head lowered a bit. Suddenly there was a 'thump' as someone hit the ground. "You must go to Rhuidean, at once. Tonight." That was all that Kaimla had heard of the little speech made to Lavida. _Oh wow,_ Kaimla thought. _Is it really that serious, Lavida attempting to run away?_

Kaimla looked up to see Lavida being led away by her ear towards Ranya's tent. She followed, attempting to pad along as the Aiel did. At the tent's entrance, the elder Wise One walked right in, towing Lavida behind her. Kaimla waited a second, then followed.

Inside, Lavida was placed on the floor, three Wise Ones standing behind her. Ranya was giving her a talk. Kaimla sat down in a corner. When Ranya was finished talking to Lavida, she turned to Kaimla. "I see that you have come in. Well, as you know, Lavida will be going to Rhuidean tonight. I wish that you accompany her. It is about time for your second trip."

Kaimla was astonished. She had to accompany Lavida, just because Lavida ran away?? "Why must I go, Wise One? What will I be doing?"

"You must go because I said so, and as for the second, that you will find out once you arrive."


	5. The Future

Lavida sullenly followed the Wise One, having no choice in the matter even if her _toh_ did not hold her. In truth, she had been expected to try escape anyways... but that made it no less wrong. But light, she had to go to Rhuidean now! It was forbidden to speak of what happened as a Wise One's apprentice, but _Rhuidean..._

They reached the tent of the Wise Ones, and went within. She was dropped onto the floor, and Rayna, with two other Wise Ones, stood before her.

"The time to run with the spears has ended," Rayna said, her voice lacking the usual harsh edge. "It is time for you to face your destiny." The words, so like the Seer's, rung in Lavida's ears.

"I will not! I will never! I am a Maiden!" she trailed off under the three woman's harsh stares. "A maiden..." she murmured. Rayna thrust her hands into Lavida's face, suddenly. She flinched visibly. This was the one part Maiden's were taught. Biting her lip, she took out her spears and placed them along with her buckler in the woman's hand, her eyes bright. As the woman's hands flicked them aside, she turned her face, slowly unhooking belt, holding her quiver and bow, along with one of the more wickedly curved knives. As she slid out her throwing knives, she deliberately avoided looking as her prized possessions clattered to the floor, instead focusing on the palm-knives. One of the Wise Ones began to murmur appreciatively as she took out her long calf knives, and ankle knives. She gave a satisfied nod when the last, poisoned dagger was removed.

Tears glistened in her eyes as that, too, was discarded. "Your cadin'sor, Lavida," the woman who had nodded said softly. Like a child's wooden toy, she stripped and threw her clothes onto the scattered pile of possessions. "Your new clothes will await your return. If you do not, your things will be given to your family, for remembrance." Lavida nodded woodenly.

"In Rhuidean," Rayna began, speaking as if reciting, "you will find three rings, arranged so." She drew lines in the air. "Step through any one. You'll see your future laid before you, again and again, in variations. They will not guide you in whole, as it best, for they will fade together as do stories heard long ago, yet you will remember enough to know some things that must be, for you, despised as they may be, and some that must not, cherished hopes that they are. This is the beginning of being called wise. Some women never return from the rings, and some who survive the rings do not survive the second trip. You are not giving up a hard and dangerous life for a softer, but for a harder and more dangerous."

With that, all three approached her, kissing her cheeks. "Come back to us," they murmured. With that, Lavida ran from the tent, running down the slope to the only city of the Aiel.

xxxx

Kaimla calmly watched as Lavida was forced to throw her old life behind and enter a new one. She did pity the former maiden though, because they had become friends, of a sort, and Kaimla knew what it was like to be forced into a new lifestyle. Lavida stripped, then listened, and ran out the door. Once Lavida had disappeared, and headed towards the city, Rayna turned to her. "You must go to Rhuidean too, as I previously stated." She said, her voice sullen and serious, "But you will not be doing the same thing as Lavida, you have gone through that already. When you enter the city, instead of looking for three rings, you will have to find a large room full of glass columns. When looked into, they will show you lives of Aiel who used to live in Rhuidean. But since you aren't an Aiel, I assume that you will find something different. I don't know."

Kaimla calmly listened to Rayna's little speech, and then ran to the door, as to follow Lavida to the city. But Rayna made her strip first (she was still a little uncomfortable with this, and she really didn't know why she had to strip too) then Kaimla proceeded to run out the door.

Once outside the camp, Kaimla let her senses guide her towards the city because she could not see any foot prints, not that she had really expected too. She ran half-blindly for what seemed like hours until she finally saw the legendary city on the horizon. She slowly wandered closer. At the cities front, Kaimla looked up in awe. Although she had been there before, it was still intimidating and wonderful.

She entered the city slowly at first, but then ran to find the columns. Kaimla knew that she would be here for a good half a day at least, so the sooner she started, the sooner she left. After wandering around the abandoned city for a while, she found herself in a fairly recognizable place. She had been here around a year ago to go through the rings that Lavida now had to pass through.

Sure enough, she found the rings and Lavida readying to pass through one of them. _Its got to be the first one,_ she thought, _It's too soon for her to be on the second or third already!_ She approached Lavida quietly, and stopped about two meters away from her. "Good luck." Was all Kaimla said, and then she passed into the shadows to try to find the glass columns.

xxxx

The run to Rhuidean seemed short, yet long at the same time, her life passing before her like a dying man. Within moments it seemed she reached the limits of the city, yet she had seen her childhood, and life as a Maiden of the Spear, pass by her. Slowing to a slow jog, then a brisk walk, she strode stiff-backed, for all the world like the Wise One was standing over her. Craning her neck to glimpse ever detail of the buildings, her eyes yet searched for one thing; the three rings she must pass through. From the way Rayna told it, she need only go through one...

There. Three stone rings, arranged so it seemed they must roll away, or at least topple over at any moment. Taking deep breaths, she moved to the one in the center, pausing just before she passed through it. "Creator help me," she whispered. _Into the shadow with teeth bared..._ she recited to herself, and stepped through as a dim voice spoke from behind her.

Scenes flashed before her eyes, more than was possible. Past, present, future. There; her, playing with a loom as a child rather than her toy spears. There; An old woman with her face, bent over a forge. Her, lying in a pool of blood. Her, her, her. There, she touched the True Source, destroying her family and closest spear-sisters, and there, she touched it un-noticed, dying later in the night. Over and over, she died. And lived. And others; others dead, others alive. She saw the first man she had killed alive again, laughing and talking with his family as an old man. She saw things that made her laugh with tears of joy, and weep of remorse. Yet one scene was replayed before her again and again, with subtle changes and small differences. At last, she was huddled on the ground, or what passed for the ground, here, rocking back and forth like a child.

"Alright, alright," she gasped in between sobs. "I'll do it," she whispered. Abruptly, it stopped, and she found herself on the stones of the courtyard she had found the circles. Wiping the tears hastily from her eyes, she was astonished to find it noon. _Have I truly been in there an entire half day?_ Wasting no time, she stood, quickly turning to the direction she knew instinctively as back. She began running again.

xxxx

After leaving Lavida, Kaimla searched for the columns for what seemed like hours. She wandered through large rooms, wide hallways with thousands of doors on both side, and courtyards. _This place is scary, with all of the dark halls and doors half ajar._

Finally, she saw an eerie glow emitting from a crack in the wall of a large, half torn-down building. _Must be the columns._ she thought, and then she sprinted to the door at the foot of the building. The door swung open easily, and Kaimla ran inside. It didn't take her long to find the room with the columns in it, as there were only three rooms that we intact throughout the entire building. She ran up to the opening and looked in.

It was an amazing sight. The room was surprisingly large for the seemingly small building. There were thousands of clear columns scattered about the place. Kaimla was drawn towards them, her face glowing from the reflection of the sun off the columns.

The first column she looked into didn't show her much, only a woman running across a desert. _Must be somewhere in the Waste,_ she thought. The next two columns showed her the same thing, but the faces were different and the third had a burning city behind her. _So I was forced to come here for this?_ she wondered sourly,_ to see a bunch of different women run across a flaming desert? This is bloody pathetic! _

Even though her past efforts had proven useless, Kaimla felt like she had to go on. She wandered around the room, looking for a column that would show her something interesting. One column that stood in the middle of the room had a certain feeling about it that made her peer into it. Kaimla was immediately pulled through the glass.

Directly in front of her, a grey haired woman in green stood, with many Aiel in odd places scattered around her. She wore a white shawl with a yellow fringe on it. An Aes Sedai. She was talking to the Aiel around her and directing a couple of them in errands. It really didn't seem right because Kaimla knew that Aiel would never act that way, unless they owed her something...

The image blurred, and Kaimla appeared in another room. It was empty. She walked forward through a door and into a small room with another Aes Sedai in it. She was alone, though, and was wearing a brown fringed shawl instead of a yellow one. The brown was reading books, which was expected, but she was reading more violent books than the ones that browns usually read.

More images flashed about her, showing her life, death, hope, despair, Aiel, Aes Sedai, the odd warder, more death. The pictures flashed quickly, gaining speed, until they stopped. One frame lay vividly before her. She stepped into it. A single woman lay on the ground, spread-eagled. Her chest wasn't moving. Kaimla moved around to get a look at the woman's face. Large, uncomprehending eyes stared up at nothing. A sword hilt protruded from her chest.

Kaimla knelt down to close the eyes, but as she reached forward, she gasped and sprang backwards. The woman was her! It was hard to tell, but there was no mistaking those grey eyes. She turned to run, but she only got a few feet. She crashed into an invisible wall, which she assumed was the column. With her hand on the wall, Kaimla walked around the area, trying to find a way out. There was none. She turned around, and put her back to the wall. The column wasn't done with her. Kaimla took a deep breath, and prepared herself for what she would see next.

xxxx

Lavida's feet struck the cool stone endlessly, foot after foot placed with precision in front of her. As a Maiden, she had learned to judge her own body, and was surprised to find it so weakened by her ordeal. _Could it have taken so much will to merely get out of there?_ Yes, that was it. It had taken so much force of thought to exit that terrible place that her body was wasting away! Lost in her self-convictions, she started when white canvas appeared on the horizon, as she passed through the mists that encased Rhuidean.

_I have to be a Wise One now, _she thought with the faintest touch of nervousness. She snorted aloud. _Of course, if I don't manage to escape before then..._ Kaimla's face swirled in front of her, the heat from the rocks hazing the image. _And if she doesn't snitch me out again, _she thought bitterly. _Most likely I'll have to sleep in her tent from now on!_

A small group in the blouses and skirts that marked a Wise One appeared by the tent nearest her, the foremost recognizable as Rayna. Finally reaching them, she abruptly stumbled on a rock, falling towards them. _I must be more exhausted then I though... _

Sleep took her as she tumbled towards the Wise Ones.


	6. Sweat tents

A small, brown-haired, pre-teen girl knelt on the ground, crying over the burnt remains of a small house, a bag of food beside her. A thinning crowd of apathetic spectators stood a few feet behind her. Kaimla stood over the girls shoulder, mourning with her, remembering the pain she had felt those few years ago, when she was the one kneeling over the ashes, not watching as an invisible figure.

Kaimla closed her grey eyes, a silver tear trickling down her cheek. By the time she had collected the nerve to open her eyes again; a tall, white building was beside her, which she immediately recognized as the Inn that she and Josie had lived beside for three years, until Kaimla was sent to the tower. They were sitting cross-legged, facing each other, and laughing gaily over a luxurious dinner of week-old steak, half a plate of cool spaghetti, and water. They only got these types of pleasures once a month when the innkeeper was feeling generous.

She and her parents were standing in the rain, their traveling cloaks and thin boots were muddy and drenched. Her father was leaning on her mother's shoulder, taking the weight off of his left foot, which he had broken weeks ago. They had just visited a doctor, who they could barely afford, and he was supposed to stay at home for three months. The family would have to live worse that they already did, now having no one to supply them with food. Kaimla moved closer to her father, trying to take his weight off her mother, but slid right through him.

Now on the outside of the glass column, she looked at a misty inside. Kaimla wondered again what she was here for. She knew everything that it had showed her, for it had all been of her life. Her feet moved slowly in the direction of the door. In the last crystal, an image of Josie appeared. She was shivering in the corner of an abandoned street in Caemlyn. She was too thin, her lips were blue, and her skin was deathly pale. The only signs that showed that life still existed, however reluctantly, inside her best friend's body was that her eyes darted nervously in their sockets, and her teeth were chattering. "Oh Jose," she moaned, "Why did you make me leave? You _need_ me! You never were built for the thieving job."

Trotting to the hole in the wall in which she had arrived through, Kaimla entered the abandoned city. It was surprisingly dark out, and it took a while for her eyes to adjust. Once outside the city, Kaimla made a full turn, and was surprised to see that there was a speck of light beaming over the mountains. After jogging on the spot for a bit to get warm, she sprinted into the mountains, chasing the failing light, and heading towards home.

xxxx

The world slowly came back into focus as she opened her eyes, fuzzy shapes solidifying into faces and objects. One of the three white-robed, blank faced gai'shain looked at her as she opened her eyes, then took off running through the tent entrance. Lavida lay on a pile of thick rugs, a small candle giving off a thin stream of black smoke into the dim tent. Night reigned, for another thick rug lay over her body, and no light shone from the slightly opened tent flap. A chill breeze swept into the tent, and another gai'shain scurried to close it. As the gai'shain- a man, it seemed- reached the entrance, it swept open, the solid brown face of Rayna following her strong arm.

"So, you are awake," she said, moving swiftly to sit beside Lavida. "I was beginning to think you would sleep forever." The faint hint of amusement lit the Wise One's eyes, taking the edge off her words. Seeing Lavida's mouth begin to open in question, she spoke again. "Kaimla, the wetlander girl, arrived shortly after twilight this day. You arrived at midday. But you must be hungry," she cut herself off, as the gai'shain who had run to fetch Rayna came in with a tray of food.

As Lavida snatched the tray, gobbling down the hard roll she saw first, Rayna settled herself, smoothing her course skirts and adjusting her shawl. "You were gone for a day and night, as well as another half day," she said as if stating the weather. Lavida paused eating at that, her eyebrows raising. _That explains quite a bit,_ she thought to herself. _The hunger and fatigue, anyways._ Her questions all answered, she continued to eat her food, moving on to the small skin of bitter wine.

"You now realize, of course," the Wise One plunged on, "That you are sealed to us. There is no going back now. Of course, you will try to flee..." she trailed off, seeing the surprise in Lavida's eyes that this old woman had read her so easily. Her eyes twinkled, open laughter now in them. "Child, it is the same with every Maiden who _must_ become a Wise One. I, myself, attempted escape a total of twelve times in the first three weeks! It's expected." It went without saying that Lavida would be disciplined each time, as Rayna must have been. Rayna patted her shoulder, rising smoothly.

"After you are done, child, come to the sweat tent. There is nothing wrong with you beyond need for sleep and food, and you have slept plenty. I want you to manage the steam for us tonight." She lifted the tent flap, stepping outside. She paused then, as if she had just remembered something she had wanted to say.

"Oh, and bring Kaimla as well. She slept only a little while, and should be eating."

xxxx

Sore feet pounding on the rough, cold stone, Kaimla ran through the mountains. Sticking to the valleys as much as possible to reduce stress, the winding passes made her confused. She could have sworn that she had seen those muddy footprints before. After placing her foot on the print and realizing that they were, in fact, her own feet that had made the marks, Kaimla turned and went the other way.

After half an hour of running, a rocky plain that resembled the Waste started to form. It was so hazy that it was possible she was only imagining it. Kaimla closed her eyes and opened them again. The rocks were still there, but accompanied by black specks that danced around her line of sight.

_Turn around and head for home._ The little voice inside her head was still insisting that she go home. _I _am_ home!_ The other half of her said. _I belong here. I am a with the Wise Ones, and I am one of them._ _You aren't one of the Aiel, though. To be a proper Wise One, you must be of their race._

Shaking that thought from her head, Kaimla headed resolutely into the land that she would leave without a second thought if given the chance.

She opened her eyes and saw... dark. _Am I dead?_ Kaimla thought, as if challenging Death to come and claim her. _If I am not, then where am I? Give me a sign. Please?_

A head illuminated by a flickering light loomed into view. It was Ranya. "I did not expect you to wake so soon," she said calmly, a bit of shock peeking through, "but now that you are awake, I suppose that you are hungry." Kaimla nodded eagerly. A female gai'shain entered the tent quietly, a tray laden with food in her hands. She placed it gently before Kaimla. Kaimla didn't touch it, though. She felt like enquiring about what had happened.

"What time is it, Ranya?" she asked, barely remembering to be polite.

"Just beyond midnight, a day and a night after you left us."

Kaimla closed her eyes to try to process this information and figure out what day it was. When she opened her eyes, Ranya had left.

Staring at her food, Kaimla came to the conclusion that there was nothing better to do at the moment than to eat it. She reached first for the bread, and then for the water, constantly becoming sloppier and sloppier with every bite.

The tent flap opened again, and Kaimla started to talk, thinking that Ranya had returned. It was Lavida. Kaimla closed her mouth and looked down to her bare chest and legs that were covered in water, bread crumbs, and a fair amount of something red that Kaimla did not remember eating. She subconsciously wiped it off and drew a blanket around herself, still not fully accustomed to not being ashamed when naked.

"What do you want?" she asked rudely. "Am I needed for something?" Kaimla found a set of clothes laid out neatly be her bed and began to hastily pull them on. " Are we needed for some sort of acceptance ceremony or the like?" She really had no clue what was going to happen, and waited impatiently for Lavida's reply.

xxxx

Lavida opened the flap of the tent she knew belonged to Kaimla, motioning away the Gai'shain that has guided her there. Kaimla sat in crumbs from the meal she ate, and quickly brushed them off once she realized that. Distaste began to twist her mouth, but she smoothed her face.

"There is no need for that," she spoke, as Kaimla quickly seized a shirt from the clothes set out for her. "Just wrap this around yourself." Lavida tossed a blanket at Kaimla, only slightly thicker than the worn one she wore. "And no acceptance ceremony." A small chuckle escaped her lips at that. "No, there is almost never those. We go to the sweat tent... you don't know what that is?" she added, seeing the quizzical look in Kaimla's eyes. "Well, then, you will see."

With no further words, she briskly strode from the tent, pausing only to make sure the Wetlander was following her. She made her way across the dark camp, the freezing cold ground making no impression on her calloused feet. Reaching their destination, she opened the flap of the entranceway, motioning Kaimla in first. "Leave the blanket here," she said, taking off her own and stacking it neatly in the corner. She then went into the sweat tent.

Steam engulfed Lavida, filling her lungs and caressing her skin. The moisture immediately began to bead, running down her smooth skin. At a gesture from Rayna, sitting in the ring of Wise Ones, she moved to the center, where the water bucket sat beside the hot coals. She poured a little more water on the coals, and the steam thickened.

"I have brought her, Wise One," she told Rayna huskily as Kaimla entered.

xxxx

Kaimla followed Lavida hurriedly along the cold, frozen ground. Her feet were going numb, so she tried to half lunge half hop towards the sweat tent. Her light-blue hands clutched the thin blanket closer to her skin-and-bone frame. A medium sized, white tent loomed infront of her and Lavida. She was instructed to shed her blanket in the manner that her companion had, and then she followed her in.

She didn't expect the air to be so heavy. It weighed down on her head, and matted her hair down almost instantly. She made her way towards the circle of Wise Ones, and sat in a small opening a little off the left of Ranya. She was introduced to the other Wise Ones hurriedly. Sweat trickled down her pale face in rivers, and flowed into her unexpecting mouth. Her lips dried up even with all the water.

The Wise Ones around Kaimla looked at her for a while, as if weighing her as the Aes Sedai did a while ago. They then turned back to their conversation. Kaimla did not understand why she was wanted here in the slightest. She thought she was technically a Wise One now, but she had only been one for a couple of hours.

As she tried to pay attention to, and make sense of the conversation the others were having, her mind wandered. She struggled to stay awake in the constant heat. Her body was soaked. Even her mind was water logged. Lavida had continued to pour water on the hot coals. Kaimla wished that she would stop.

Her eyes started to fog over. The constant droning of the Wise Ones in the tent became a buzz. Still curious as to why she was here, she fell asleep, or maybe fainted. She couldn't tell the difference. Her rest went unnoticed for the most part, but when she woke up coughing an spluttering, a few of the Wise Ones turned their heads to look at her.

"Is something wrong?" The calm voice of Ranya, with a small, harsh tone hidden within floated across the steam.

"Oh, nothing." She replied sheepishly.

Looking at Lavida, she hoped that the girl wouldn't burst out laughing at her, although she probably already was.

xxxx

The time went quickly for Lavida, as the moisture trickled down her dark skin. Her hair, still cut in the manner of the Maidens, was kept up out of her face and eyes, and so she was free of irritations to listen to the Wise Ones talk. What they talked of encompassed much, from an old Wise One who had died last month to how the crops were faring in the Stone Rivers sept. Finally, the talk turned to something more personal to Lavida, and Kaimla as well.

"As you know, both of the girls returned from Rhuidean..." Rayna began, to be cut off when Kaimla suddenly spluttered. It was all Lavida could to do hold back a loud laugh- Kaimla had fallen asleep! _I heard once that they use puddles of water to bathe- imagine that! She must not be used to the sweat tents._

"Oh, nothing," Kaimla said, her sweat-stained cheeks turning a deeper red in a blush. Lavida smiled at the girl, then returned to her water tending. _Come on, they were just about to speak of us... good the Wetlander just woke!_

"As I was saying," Rayna continued in clipped tones. "They both successfully passed their tests in Rhuidean. Lavida," she said, addressing her, "You are ready to begin the training you will need to survive. Without it, you will die," she added sternly as she saw a look of rebellion begin to form on Lavida's face. "Tomorrow morning, we will cut your hair properly, and give you appropriate clothes."

"Yes, Wise One," Lavida said sourly, scowling. With more force than was necessary, she threw another small bit of water on the coals.

"And you, Kaimla." Rayna spoke again, now with pride in her voice. "You have successfully passed the test needed to become a Wise One. Men come back marked as clan chiefs when they experience the columns; we women need no such indicators. You are one of us now, though not as experienced, nor wise." The last was said with a twinkle in her light eyes.

xxxx

She tried to listen attentively, but still failed. Kaimla knew that Ranya was talking about them, but the heat was so comforting... so nice. "And you, Kaimla..." Ranya's voice rang out across the fire, louder than it needed to be. Kaimla's head snapped up at the sound of her name and stared at the woman. _I'm one of them, now... am I?_ She wondered, entirely curious about what she was to do and what the purpose of those bloody columns was.

"You are one of us now, though not as experienced, nor wise." Kaimla glared at Ranya now. _She called me stupid! The flamin' woman insulted me in front of the entire council -or whatever you call it- of Wise Ones! And I am supposed to be like them!_ "You will be expected to be present at all gatherings, unless a reasonable reason for missing is stated before hand. An amateur like you needs training, and you will receive it in a faster pace than normal, for we fear that the worst is to come. I trust that you will absorb this knowledge at the time it is presented to you."

This was all too much for Kaimla. She had never gotten an education, and really didn't want to have to experience the torture. And she was going to have to learn fast. How fast? Ranya had left too many holes in her explanation.

"Yes, Wise One," Kaimla replied in a monotone.

"I think that you should be able to start training tomorrow. Lavida will start hers too then, I think. It would be best."

Ranya turned away from Kaimla and addressed the entire gathering. "Alright. Now..." Kaimla stopped listening and tried to imagine what sorts of things she would be forced to go through tomorrow. Eventually, the meeting was adjourned. Ranya caught Kaimla's arm on her way out, and said "I would like to see you in my tent tonight. We will continue your training there. Lavida may come if she wants, but I'm not sure if anything there will interest her." She nodded happily and left the tent, leaving Kaimla standing there, sweating hard and looking at the door flap as it swayed behind Ranya.


End file.
